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January 9th.
2008
HEARTY SOULS
One of the things about living in the
Inland Northwest year round is that you have to be a hearty soul. There
are temperatures below freezing for weeks if not months on end, snow
storms creating white out conditions, and winds that literally take your
hat off - and that is just in the wintertime.
When the first of the winter weather hits, especially if it is
pre-Christmas, most folks find it a part of the romantic lure of the
season. However, get on the other end of the New Year, especially when
it oozes into mid-February, and it takes a real sense of endurance to
hang on until the first spring day.
This same kind of endurance is often necessary in our faith journey. On
the “sunny” days when everything is going our way it is easy to count
our blessings. On the other hand, when we just can't seem to catch a
break, you know those days when one thing after another just does not go
our way, it's very challenging to find anything to give God thanks for.
In fact, those are often the occasions when we become angry or blame God
for how horribly unfair the world is treating us.
One of my favorite bishops and theologians Phillip Brooks once wrote:
Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger. Do not pray for tasks
equal to your powers; pray for power equal to your tasks. Then the doing
of your work shall be no miracle, but you yourself shall be a miracle.
Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life, which
has come to you by the grace of God
God is not a “fair weather friend”. Life's blessing is allowing God's
grace to work through us in both those sunny days and in the blizzards.
God is present in our lives in both ends of the spectrum. Our calling is
to open ourselves to know God and make God known regardless of the
weather - either outside or in our hearts.
Blessings,
The Rev. Brian N. Prior, Rector
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